"Ladies and gentlemen, after listening to your requests, the judges have altered the brackets for round two! Starting today's games, we bring you Mercury Black! You may recall his ferocious entrance into the games and his brutal beat down of Yang Xiao Long. It was an epic battle that will be remembered for generations to come! Despite her best efforts, Miss Xiao Long was defeated by Mister Black, and he moved forward to today's contest!"
Mercury kicked the dirt in the center of the arena. Ruby was nowhere to be found.
"And speaking of Miss Xiao Long, today, facing Mister Black, we have the younger daughter of Taiyang Xiao Long and the legendary hero Summer Rose! This match is looking positively exciting, folks! The younger sister here to exact vengeance for the brutal defeat of her elder sister!"
Mercury stared at the other gate. The arena was grassland, with small mounds of dirt simulating prairie dog hills.
"Uh, apologies folks but it seems our second combatant has not appeared yet. We regret to inform you that if she does not enter within ten seconds, the match will be forfeit."
Projected in front of the crowd on giant glass hologram panels was a rather large, blue countdown.
Mercury threw his head back and laughed. "What a pansy! I expected a fight! But it looks like both of Taiyang's daughters are all talk and no bite!"
The timer reached five. Mercury shook his head and paced back and forth.
Four.
He sighed and stared up into the crowd where Emerald was watching and shrugged.
Three.
The open gate remained empty.
Two.
Mercury sighed and started to walk away.
One.
A high pitched whistle pierced through the arena's quieted air. Mercury had just enough time to turn around as a bright red blur spiraled into him. Ruby shoved her shoulder deep into Mercury's not-quite-healed stomach wound. She planted her feet on his shoulders and winked at him before propelling herself backwards into the blue center of the arena immediately before it disappeared.
"AND MISS ROSE MAKES HER ENTRANCE! COMBATANTS! FIGHT!" The announcer sounded way too giddy. Ruby threw back her cape and unsheathed Crescent Rose to its full size. The intimidating scythe reflected in Mercury's black eyes. This weapon would be difficult to block. But not to evade. The man smiled and like a snake in the grass, darted forward, his rocket boots already at full throttle.
He skimmed the air and dodged Ruby's first low strike. With a quick click, he dropped to the ground, the scythe cutting where his torso was a fraction of a second ago. Ruby's face was, surprisingly, full of laughter.
She spun Crescent Rose in an upward strike and Mercury dodged back. Realization dawned in his eyes as he saw the point aimed right for him. With a burst of rose petals, Ruby accelerated. The tip of the scythe sailed forward and Mercury just barely managed to backflip out of the way.
Long range it is. He grinned and kicked each knee up to his chest, cocking each greave in turn. The Void Dust inside of his boots churned in volatile liquid form. It was a risk, carrying the detonating force of a thousand pounds of Burn Dust in each boot, but the thrill of seeing an enemy explode with the force of a star was worth every moment of risk.
Mercury backflipped three times, placing himself well out of range of Ruby's scythe blade. He dropped into a low stance and breathed deep.
In. Out.
In. Out.
In. Out.
With a savage grin he kicked forward with his right foot before landing on it and swinging his left into a vicious reverse roundhouse kick. Using his momentum, he planted his hands on the ground and began to twirl around in a complex pattern, his feet kicking out at regular intervals, and alternating between hands for support.
Black-purple blasts streaked towards Ruby, who had Crescent Rose balanced on her shoulder. She flicked her head and the hair flipped out of her eyes. She grinned and clasped Crescent Rose with both hands. Pouring her aura out through her arms, she began to spin the scythe like a baton. The blade spun and as it deflected every concussive blast around her, the scythe began to whistle. Each movement produced a different pitch. The dark projectiles produced a low thrumming as they streaked towards Ruby, followed by a twang as they bounced off of the whirling scythe, and ending in a high pitched vibrato as they landed around the arena, exploding into whirling vortexes of null energy.
The sounds created a beautiful music and Ruby began to hum along.
"O Little Rose, my Little Rose
How wonderful you are
Your petals so soft and red
The thorns to leave a scar
O Little Rose, my Little Rose
How beautifully you cry
With crimson tears I sing
This soft lullaby
O Little Rose, my Little Rose
How I love you so
O Little Rose, my Little Rose
I'll never let you go"
The audience was captivated by the petite girl's voice, calm amidst the chaos. The haunting melody faded as Mercury's boots ran out of ammunition. He glared at Ruby, whose eyes were closed, small tears leaking out and down her cheeks.
He sprinted towards her, a shout forming from his lips built to a crescendo as he jumped up high, raising his right leg to bear down upon the weeping girl.
Crescent Rose seemed to have a mind of its own, as the girl's eyes never opened. She whirled around and the flat of the scythe knocked Mercury's foot aside, he desperately tried to recovering, twirling on his hands, but the blade hurtled towards him once more.
He screamed curses and backflipped once more. This girl had a perfect defense combined with devastatingly powerful close-quarter's melee capabilities.
Mercury pursed his lips together and trembled in rage. "You damn Xiao Long girls! I'm going to wipe you from the face of Remnant!" he screamed at the top of his lungs.
With two hard clicks of his heels, a special chamber inside the back of his boots opened and his newly reloaded greaves began to glow with a soft grey light. His eyes began smoking as he channeled his aura into the new mixture flowing around inside of his weapons.
Ruby opened her eyes and saw Mercury's stance change. Something inside of him had snapped. He began hopping from one foot to the other, throwing out kicks as fast as he could. What emerged from his boots looked like grey, liquid light.
The lasers streaked towards Ruby and she tried to block the blast with Crescent Rose. The laser didn't deflect, but instead it glued itself to the haft. Ruby's eyes widened and she grabbed the mixture with her right hand and threw it to the ground. The contact burned and Ruby's hand throbbed with red.
Some of it had seeped into her skin and she felt like her arm had gone dead. So this is what he used against Yang. It's just like his name says, mercury. Ruby's eyes lidded but she forced her heart to beat faster. Her aura was there at the ready, willing to do whatever was necessary.
She dropped the magazine out of Crescent Rose as she ducked and weaved between each wet blast of poison that streaked towards her. She reached for the special magazine that she kept hidden in her belt, the one with the cross on it. Thanks again, mom.
She slid the bolt home as the first round loaded into the sniper portion. Somehow, amidst the barrage of grey projectiles, Ruby found a single spot where she could stand perfectly still. The lasers all miraculously missed her and she channeled every single last scrap of aura into her weapon and the special ammunition that her uncle had passed to her from her mother.
"Ruby, now that you've completed your weapon, it's time I gave you a few things. Your mother made these for you a long time ago. Do you know what it is, Ruby?" Qrow's kind eyes burn a dull crimson, light wrinkles dot his face.
"It's Dust!" a young Ruby shouts excitedly.
Qrow's eyes crinkle at the edge and his trimmed grey beard parts in a deep chuckle. "That's right, my dear! It's a very special Dust that your mother worked very hard on just for you."
"Uncle Qrow, why didn't mommy leave any dust for big sister?" Ruby handles the vials of black and red grains carefully and expertly for a child.
"Your mother and father both worked very hard to give both of you gifts. Your father gave Yang her Ember Celica, and your mother made you these." Qrow's black cape parts as he kneels next to Ruby. "Now Ruby, your mother only made enough vials to load into three different magazines. You have to decide when to use them. Once they're gone, there will be no more."
Ruby nods, understanding. "Uncle?"
Qrow smiles at her, "Yes, child?"
"What kind of Dust is it?"
Qrow's eyes close and he chuckles again, heartily. "A very, very special kind. The rarest there is. It's Love, Ruby. Dust made with Love."
Ruby's eyes snapped open and she felt the familiar tugging deep within her legs. Run, Ruby! Her mother's voice echoes in the back of her mind. Ruby leapt forward with a tremendous shout, fracturing the earth beneath her and forming a small fault line that followed her in a snaking pattern. She threw herself at her opponent, Crestent Rose aimed behind her and slightly to the right, she pulled the trigger rapidly. Huge black-red blasts streamed behind her as she began to rotate faster than ever.
A huge whirlwind formed behind her as she hurtled towards Mercury, who raised his foot in the air. It was too late to dodge, and Ruby closed her eyes as the beam itself pierced her shoulder, exiting out her back. The pain was immense, but what hurt worse was the excruciating burning sensation of the poison seeping into her bloodstream.
Flashes of her mother swam before her eyes and Ruby gritted her teeth. Mercury's eyes widened as the cyclone sped towards him, showing no sign of stopping. He turned and he ran.
It didn't matter. Ruby depressed the trigger and held it down as Crescent Rose flipped to full-auto. With a thunderous roar, she broke the sound barrier for the second time during the games and Crescent Rose, covered in black and red aura energy, swung towards Mercury's head.
The back-side of the blade collided with Mercury's skull, sending him sailing towards the wall, where he collided with such force that the wall was split a second time by Ruby. Ruby skidded to a halt and fired Crescent Rose three times towards Mercury. None of the shots hit him, but they propelled Ruby backwards through her own whirlwind which hurtled towards the incapacitated foe.
She knew in her head that she should stop, she'd already won. But in her heart, fiery vengeance took hold. Is this how you feel when your semblance takes over, Yang? I'm so sorry.
Ruby did a mental tally. One final shot. For you, mother, and for Yang. As the whirlwind hurtled towards Mercury, Ruby charged the remainder of her aura into the final blast and fired with a mighty cry. A pure black beam with glowing read edges streaked towards the horizontal tornado. The energy mixed with the wind and the vortex roared and grew. Mercury had stumbled to his feet and his eyes finally focused on just exactly what sped towards him. He lowered his head and the vortex engulfed him. A huge explosion of black and red energy roared through the arena. After the noise and dirt and debris had settled, the crowd saw Ruby standing in the center of the arena, Crescent Rose held behind her back. She was silhouetted by the morning sun. Mercury lay across the arena, his clothes shredded and torn, his body covered in burns and cuts, a long gash ran from his left cheek, through his eye, and over his skull, leaving a long bald patch.
His chest heaved with effort. He was still alive.
The crowd was silent for three heartbeats before erupting into thunderous applause. "I can't believe it ladies and gentlemen! The Black Snake has been taken down! Mercury Black is down! Ruby Rose is the winner! Like her mother before her, Ruby Rose is quickly on her way to becoming a first year winner! That was incredible folks! Absolutely incredible!"
Everyone in the crowd expected a vengeful "That was for Yang!" or "Don't mess with the daughters of Taiyang!" but Ruby just turned and silently walked towards the exit. There were no words to say. Yang had lost control and it had nearly cost her life. Mercury had been so much more brutal than was required by the Festival. Ruby had defeated him. It sent a clear message, one that didn't need to be ruined by angry words.
In the stands, Cinder glowered at the young girl. If that's how you're going to play, then I will destroy you. I will dismantle everything you love, piece by bloody piece. I will take everything from you until you beg me to end it. But I won't. I never will. I will destroy you but I will not kill you. No, you are too valuable to my master. But your friends are not. Before it was just business. Now it is war.
She turned to Emerald who stared blankly at Mercury's mangled frame. "He knew the costs. He is of no more use to me. Do you understand?"
Emerald swallowed the lump in her throat. "Yes, ma'am."
"Good."
Author's Note: I dedicate this chapter to Monty Oum. While there has not been an update today, my thoughts are still with you. You've created such strong characters, characters who can overcome any adversity. There is a reason your characters are so strong. It is because they are like you. You, too, hold a strength deep within you and I believe you can overcome anything. We're all rooting for you, Monty.
Next Time: Time To Say Goodbye